There's Love in War
by Olivier Antoine
Summary: What would happen in the story of Dragon Ball if Goku had realized his feelings for Chi-Chi far earlier in the series? Rating will be T until more suggestive and mature themes occur in the story.
1. Chapter 1

"So what are you going to do now?" the blue-haired beauty named Bulma asked the spiky-haired child.

"I'm going to look for my grandpa's ball," Goku responded. "And I think I might bring Chi-Chi with me…" he said whispering. Bulma heard him, however, and took the opportunity to tease him.

"Oh?" she said, nudging Goku's shoulder, "You mean your little girlfriend?" she taunted.

"G-girlfriend? Wh-what's that?" Goku exclaimed, waving his arms around, flustered. He'd heard Bulma continuously draw on about the perfect boyfriend but he would have never thought there would be girlfriends as well.

"Yeah, kid," came a deep voice. This came from Yamcha, a long, dark-haired boy that had recently proclaimed he and Bulma had been dating. "She totally has a thing for you, and whether or not you know it, you like her back," he explained, eliciting nods from Bulma, as well as Oolong, Puar, and Krillin. Master Roshi was off somewhere harassing Launch, most likely.

"Of course I like her," Goku said, "she's my friend!" he exclaimed obliviously.

The group sweatdropped. "I think you like her more than a friend, little fella," Yamcha said, scruffing the kid's hair. "While you're with her you should take her on a few dates or something, just show her you care about her," he coaxed.

Bulma raised an eyebrow. "You were scared of me for a week straight and all of a sudden you're a relationship coach?" she inquired with her arms crossed. Yamcha chuckled nervously at the personal jab. "But Yamcha's right you know; you _could_ take her on a few dates in between your journey's pit stops," she said. "Speaking of," she began, before digging in her pants pockets, "Here's the Dragon Radar." she handed the compass-like device to the boy who eagerly accepted it, thanking her. "Wait," she stopped herself, "you _do_ know what a date is, right?"

"Uhh…" Goku said, resting his finger on his chin pensively. Upon seeing the bewildered look on the child's face, the couple took it upon themselves to give Goku a brief 5-minute explanation on dates and how to keep a woman content.

"Above all, Goku, be yourself," Bulma said knowingly. "She's already fallen for you... somehow… now all you have to do is keep her reeled in!" she stated with an honest smile.

Goku was red in the face from the detailed explanation but nevertheless now well-informed on what he had to do. He slapped himself in the face to regain focus.

"All right then, guys. I appreciate the advice," he thanked them. "Kinto-Un!" he called out, cupping his hands over his mouth. "Take me to Fire Mountain!" he ordered before yelling his final goodbyes to his friends, as well as his master. The said master called out to him before he was able to take off, however.

"Goku!" Roshi exclaimed, rubbing a bruise he got from getting a little too close to Launch's blonde side, "I'd suggest you refrain from using Kinto-Un to get places! It'll help with your training!" he shouted.

Goku sweated a little. '_But I can't fly! How else am I supposed to get places?_' Goku thought. He jumped off the cloud, landing softly on the ground and in front of the group.

"You don't _have_ to fly necessarily-" Master Roshi said before being cut off by the heat radiating off of Goku, as a white aura around him began flaring about. The aura around him began to expand and flare about, encircling him as started to levitate above the ground. The group looked on with shocked expressions as the boy was now easily 30 feet in the air and didn't look to be straining himself in the least.

"B-but how?!" Goku's bald-headed monk rival Krillin pondered aloud.

"I'm just as surprised as you, Krillin," said Roshi, '_But not that much_,' he thought sweat dropping with a small grin. "Well, Goku you've already taught yourself a new skill to make up for your lack of utilities. It's quite astonishing to me how much you've grown."

"Thanks, Master! Well, I'm off to Fire Mountain!" he said retracing his steps to the familiar edifice and taking off, causing the trees in the surrounding area to sway about with great force.

'_So fast!_' the group thought collectively.

They then said their last goodbyes before going their separate ways.

Krillin stated he would resume training with Master Roshi, and Bulma would continue to reside in West City with Yamcha, Puar and Oolong.

* * *

_And so the story truly begins_…

* * *

Goku had stopped flying quite some time ago, as the amount of energy he let off during his departure the tournament grounds had slightly drained his stamina. Panting slightly while running, he thought, '_I'll have to train to store and control that energy better!_' Slowing down, he came to a halt in the dead of night. Hearing the loud growl from his stomach, he decided to settle down and go for a hunt.

Conveniently, a Pterodactyl had roosted in a nest not far from where he had been, serving as a good, roasted meal. Sitting by the fire and fighting off drowsiness, Goku began speaking out loud to himself.

"So a girlfriend is someone I care for and I need to protect those I care about…" Goku said, thinking back to how he was helpless and nowhere to be found when his grandfather was trampled to death by a monster. Gritting his teeth at the thought while sitting in a meditative pose, he thought '_I've got to get stronger! I can't let Chi-Chi or the others get hurt because I'm too weak!_' he thought. His face heating up at how he had thought of Chi-Chi first he exclaimed, "Gah!" he yelled, ruffling his hair wildly, "This love shit is confusing! Well, whatever. The main thing I need to set my sights on is becoming better at being myself, and if _I_ am strong, then that's what I need to become more of." Thinking back to his loss against Jackie Chan, he grinned. '_There are so many strong opponents for me to face in this world; it's only a matter of time before I meet another challenge_.' He thought, clenching his fists.

Falling back on the soft grass, he laid his hands behind his head like a pillow and gazed up at the moon. It wasn't full tonight but still looked enthralling nonetheless. The rays shone right onto his face, providing an indirect touch-like sensation. It kept him at ease and soothed his plethora of emotions, allowing his mind some clarity. With his current aspirations in mind of trumping another hurdle, Goku allowed his fatigue to overtake him and sleep to consume him entirely.

Having awoken the next morning and doing his daily hunting and his pre-workout of 500 pull-ups, press-ups, sit-ups, Goku set out to cook the eggs that the Pterodactyl he had eaten yesterday had been protecting. As they were rather large, they served to be a good meal boiled, as well as providing him with a good deal of protein.

After breakfast, he set his hands at his sides and replicated his actions of the previous day, attempting to fly again. Finding it much easier to control his ki today than the day prior, he continued his journey to Fire Mountain, feeling much faster and stronger than usual.

It had been nearly an hour and Goku was showing no signs of fatigue. Even better news came in the form of the now extinguished castle that had been nicely refurbished to its former glory.

"_That's_ what this place looks like now?! It's like the castles in the fairytales grandpa used to tell!" Goku exclaimed, touching down on the cobblestone pavement that leads to the front of the massive doors that looked built specifically for the Ox King's gargantuan stature.

Slamming his fist on the gigantic door in an attempt to knock, Goku waited patiently until he heard the door slowly "creak" open. Looking through the slight crack that had been made, he saw an eye peek through and heard a familiarly soft call of "Goku?"

"Chi-Chi?" he responded.

Upon hearing his voice, the door swung upon and the Ox princess who was garbed in her traditional skimpy blue war outfit greeted the boy with a big hug that was eagerly returned with a blush. '_Why does my face keep heating up?!_' Goku thought.

"My prince! You've come to whisk me away on your glorious cloud to an unknown land where we shall-" Chi-Chi was cut off by the call of her name.

"Y-your… choking… m-me," Goku squeezed out between breaths. Chi-Chi giggled, loosening her grip on the boy and giving him a kiss on the cheek, causing the boy to turn as red as a tomato.

"You'll be fine," she said giggling even harder at his reaction. Shaking his head, to regain focus, he cleared his throat.

"Actually, I kinda am here to take you away," upon seeing her about to exclaim, he quelled her excitement so he could continue talking. Upon seeing her pout, he chuckled, continuing. "I actually wanted to ask if you would like to go with me on a journey with me to find my grandpa's Dragon Ball." Chi-Chi's face lit up but before she could answer...

"Grandpa, you say?" came the gruff, booming voice of the Ox-King, who stomped his way to the door. "Goku! What a pleasant surprise to see you here!" he took a good look at the boy, "and _much_ stronger after Master Roshi's training, I can tell!" Goku smiled at the sight of the strong man who towered over him. He wiped his nose modestly.

"Hi, Ox-King! It's great to see you too! And I've been training super hard since we last met!" he said, flexing his muscles for show. At this action, Chi-Chi began to poke at Goku's biceps, causing the boy to get flustered, switching to conversate to prevent embarrassment. "I was just wondering if-" he began before being cut off by Chi-Chi.

"Daddy, he's come to take me away from here to profess our love!" Ox-King and Goku simultaneously garnered the same expressions of confusion, in Ox King's case, and slight irritation in Goku's.

"Um, Goku, can you explain?" Ox-King asked, confused.

Sighing, Goku explained his hopes to locate Gohan's Dragon Ball and bring Chi-Chi on the journey with him for reasons he wouldn't explain, other than that he thought she would make a good companion. Ox-King smirked, easily understanding the crush that the spiky-haired child had on his daughter.

"Oh, I understand completely, now!" he said, laughing haughtily. If there was anyone he could rely on to take good care of his daughter and in a noble way, it was Son Goku. "Well, Goku, you have my blessing," he said with a wink. "It's about time Chi-Chi got to experience what the real world is like, and I'm leaving it upon you to make sure her life remains out of danger." Goku took on a serious expression and put his fist up to his chest.

"You can count on me; I'll make sure she comes back without a scratch," Goku said with the utmost seriousness. Ox-King looked into the boy's eyes to check for even a waiver of emotion. Seeing none, he laughed heartily and slapped a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I'm sure I can! Well, Chi-Chi, make sure you pack your things, and Goku, why don't you come in and eat with us before heading out? Can't go on a journey on an empty stomach." At the mention of food, Goku's stomach growled loudly. Giggling, Chi-Chi grabbed Goku by the hand and guided him into the dining hall where a 20-foot table full of food had been waiting for him.

After getting his fill, Goku patted his stomach and ushered for Chi-Chi to meet him outside when she was ready. She nodded, smiling at him before heading upstairs.

Goku waited outside the palace doing one-handed push-ups while waiting for Chi-Chi to finish readying up.

"995...996...997...998...999...1-" Goku nearly fell over at the sight of Chi-Chi.

She was now in a completely different outfit than her regular one, her hair styled in a neat bun, her bangs falling at the front and sides of her face and a gold and white ax slung over her shoulder. She now wore a blue, gold-rimmed cheongsam dress with loose, red pants and white boots.

Upon seeing Goku's lost gaze, Chi-Chi blushed heavily, shifting her feet and covering her face with the bit. "Like what you see?" she asked shyly.

Goku began stuttering heavily. "I-I mean, y-you look nice, I mean-, great! I m-mean," he said trying to gain his composure. Clearing his throat with a blush on his cheeks he said "You're beautiful," with a hand in front of his mouth, muffling his words.

"What was that?" Chi-Chi said, eliciting an annoyed look from the boy.

"I said you look beautiful!" he exclaimed, blushing heavily and looking down to hide his face from hers. Hearing her giggled, he looked back up to see she was right in front of him.

"Thanks, Goku. You're very flattering," she said, kissing him on the cheek and giving him a wink.

Growling softly, Goku asked, while fiddling with the controls of the Dragon Radar, "Uhh, can we leave now?"

Chuckling lightly, Chi-Chi gave the okay and took the Dragon Radar out of Goku's hands, jumping into his open arms. "Well, take me away my prince!" she commanded. Goku pouted but nonetheless took off, Chi-Chi guiding him where the closest ball was.

Ox-King stood in the doorway watching as the pair flew off. Taking a smoke from the pipe in his hand he blew out a puff saying, "In a few years, that'll be my son-in-law." He chuckled at the notion. It wasn't impossible, as long as the boy wasn't too dense.

The cool wind was blowing in the two teens' faces, nothing but silence enveloping the two of them as they took in the beauty of nature. As Goku continued to fly, he heard the beeping of the radar and Chi-Chi guided him to head towards the base of a large white pillar.

Nodding, Goku began his descent to the ground below. Touching down, he gently placed Chi-Chi on the grass and the two of them began to look in the surrounding area for the Dragon Ball. What caught their attention, however, was a horrifying sight.

A man in a pink gi with his hair in a braided ponytail had his hand stretched in the form of a blade at a large, tanned man's neck, his fingernails digging deep into the man's skin, drawing blood. A demolished hunting spear with a crushed metal blade and smashed wooden hilt lied next to him.

"Get off my Papa!" exclaimed a young boy that looked like a chibi, spitting image of the larger man.

"Surrender the Dragon Ball," he said menacingly, "and nothing happens to your father," he said, not taking an eye off of his prey.

"Upa, just run! Get away from here, I'll be fine!"

Before Upa could respond, Goku was already on the move, flying at the man in the pink gi, with a ki-enhanced fist soaring quickly towards his head.

The man saw Goku at the last moment, but as he made an attempt to dodge, it was far too late. As Goku's punch made contact, the man was flung hundreds of feet forward, into a tree headfirst, crushing his skull, instantly killing him.

The man's body was sprawled out on the ground, his head split open and bleeding profusely. Goku ignored the gory sight and checked to see if the now saved victim was okay, as his son ran towards his father. Chi-Chi looked at the scene that had just played out with her eyes wide, a shocked expression on her face. She had to put her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from gagging. Had the adorable, naïve boy that she fell in love with turned a cold-blooded killer?

"Papa!" the boy exclaimed happily, hugging the man, "Thank you for saving my papa!" he said, gratefully bowing towards Goku, who was now helping the man stand up.

"It's no problem. I saw someone in danger and did what I thought was right," he simply said.

Chi-Chi ran towards Goku, asking if he was alright to which he responded he was. He flashed her a wide grin to reassure her that held so much innocence and the very essence of the boy she loved. He was not lost after all. '_I'm glad…_' she thought with a hand over her heart.

"That was quite the brutal strike you dealt to that man," the tan figure said standing at full height, which was about double Goku's size. "You have immense strength, young man. You are forever in my debt," he said, bowing his head. Goku returned the gesture and repeated his humble words.

Smiling, the man introduced himself. "My name is Bora, and this is my son Upa," he said pointing to the little boy. "These are the sacred grounds of the Land of Korin," he said, gesturing to the surrounding area which was littered by three man huts nearing the dozens. "Who are you?"

Goku smiled, "My name is Son Goku, and this is my friend, Chi-Chi," he said, pointing to the girl next to him who waved in turn, "we're on a quest looking for something called a Dragon Ball. Have you seen it?"

Raising an eyebrow, Bora looked questioningly at the boy. "That's actually exactly what that man was terrorizing us about. I would assume it holds some sort of power which is why he sought after it so heavily. What do you hope to accomplish by acquiring it?"

"Well," Goku began to explain, "initially, we'd have to collect 7 of them and gather them together to grant any one wish, but I'm only looking for the four-star one since it's like a memento of my late grandfather," Goku finished with a somber tone. Chi-Chi rubbed Goku's back comfortingly. Noting the earnesty in Goku's explanation, Bora asked for his son to allow Goku to have the ball. Smiling, Upa happily obliged and handed the ball to Goku whose expression immediately changed to that of a child on Christmas.

"Really? We can have it?" he asked, not believing it to be this easy.

"Indeed, you may," Bora said, nodding. "Think of it as a debt repaid,''.he said, smiling.

"Wow, well, thanks, Bora and Upa!" Goku said, bowing respectfully. The gestured was returned in kind by the two.

"Um, can I ask something?" Chi-Chi said, speaking up. Bora nodded for her to continue. "If I may know, what is this large pillar? We saw it on our way here and it looks like it goes into the heavens," she said, looking upwards to the clouds in which the top of the pillar vanished.

Smirking, Bora responded, "You're quite perceptive, missy, because that's _exactly_ what this pillar supposedly leads to. Legend has it that if you climb to the top, it is said that you can get a drink of Sacred Water that increases your strength by many times." Goku's ear twitched at the mention of a power-up. "Go even higher and you shall meet the god of this Earth himself," he said sagely.

'_Wonder if it's just a myth,_' Chi-Chi thought.

"What if I were to test that theory?" Goku said suddenly, breaking everyone from their thoughts. Raising an eyebrow at their expressions, Goku asked, "What, you don't think it's possible? I think I can do it if I really try!" he exclaimed, punching his palm. Chi-Chi smiled at her crush's enthusiasm.

"If you believe you can do it, I do too!" she said proudly. "Even if it takes you forever, I'll follow you to the very end, just to make sure you succeed!" Goku beamed at the enthusiasm, giving Chi-Chi a cheeky grin as thanks.

Bora was stunned. '_A mere _boy _thinking he could reach the peak of divinity? Was it truly possible? It is true that he has displayed quite a great deal of talent in the few minutes I've known him… It just may be what the prophecy proclaimed..._' Stepping forward, the tall man placed a hand on Goku's shoulder. "I believe so as well. Reach the top and surpass your limits, Son-Kun. You have my faith as well as the whole village whom you have just saved." Goku smiled, nodding. "Right!" he said.

"Well, I'm off!" Goku said, hopping onto the pillar beginning his climb, running up the side of the tower. "Next time you see me, I'll be leaps and bounds stronger!" he exclaimed, already becoming hard to see by now. Chi-Chi pondered for a moment if she should really follow after him. "I'll be down here training until you get back! I'll be stronger too!" she shouted until he couldn't hear her.

"Train, you say?" Bora said, "I can surely help you with that, young lady." He outstretched a hand for her to shake which she gladly took. "Starting today, you'll be going through the most hellish experience until your future lover returns," he said with a wink. Chi-Chi smiled, blushing at the comment. She looked up to where Goku had just disappeared off to. Hopefully, he gave her some time.

Power Levels:

Post-Tenkaichi Budokai

Goku: 74, 155 (Post Zenkai)

Yamcha: 45

Bulma: 3

Roshi: 139 (Suppressed)

Launch: 3, 7 (Bad)

Krillin: 62

Oolong: 4

Puar: 2

Ox King: 95

Chi-Chi: 27

Bora: 35

Mercenary Tao: 51

Upa: 7


	2. Chapter 2

Goku had been climbing Korin's Tower for already half a day and was just barely able to see the underside of the tower's top. His hands had multiple blisters from the speed at which he was going, his back was aching, along with his legs, and he had a pain that was beginning to grow at the base of his spine where his tail was. 'Shit! _I'm close…_! ' he thought while tiredly beginning to quicken his pace. He just hoped that the adrenaline would remain in effect before fatigue completely overtook him.

Chi-Chi was lying on her side in Bora and Upa's hut after a long day of training. She was trying to force herself to sleep by keeping her eyes closed, but she was still wide awake, unable to sleep with the thought that Goku may still either be completely awake right now or asleep with the chance to fall to his death.

She thought of his reassuring smile and sighed. All she could do now was say her prayers, which she went right to do. After she had done so, she felt much more relaxed and less on edge, allowing herself to be lulled into a state of deep sleep.

15 minutes had passed since Goku's adrenaline boost and he was now able to see a ladder leading into the tower.

"I made it!" he exclaimed, quickening his pace. He reached the ladder, latching on and climbing up, lying back first on the cold, hard surface of the floor. He was far too tired to move to check if anyone was around, so he simply allowed himself to fall asleep. He would get the sacred water in the morning.

Hiding in the shadows was a short, feline-like figure holding a staff, one arm behind his back. His impressed smile was concealed within the darkness, but he said aloud, "He really did it… and in record time, too!" he took note of the boy's snoring and said quieter, "_Much_ quicker than his master, too… This boy is sure an anomaly…"

Goku awoke the next morning and felt a lot less sore, slowly opening his eyes as he took in his surroundings. '_That's right,_' he thought, sitting up quickly. '_I made it to the top of the tower_!'

Looking to his left, he saw a white cat with his eyes clothes, holding a staff in one hand and a green bean in the other.

Attempting to put two and two together, Goku asked, "Are you Korin?" to which the cat responded with a nod.

"You know," he said, tossing Goku the bean, which he caught in one hand, examining it closely, "You're much brighter than you look," he finished. A vein twitched on the side of Goku's forehead. "Oh, and if you want to regain your strength, I suggest you eat that bean."

Raising an eyebrow, Goku decided not to question the master of the tower he had climbed with so much effort and threw the bean into his mouth. Chewing and swallowing the bean, power coursed through Goku's veins, his muscles bulging slightly bigger than they had been before, the soreness vanishing completely. '_His power just went up quite a bit,_' Korin thought with a sweat drop going down his face.

Jumping up onto his feet, Goku felt his appetite completely vanish. "What was that? I feel much better than before, _and _I'm not hungry anymore!" he exclaimed with a bewildered expression as he felt out his renewed strength, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"That was a Senzu Bean. It restores a person's physical health, healing any injuries, soreness and settles one's appetite for ten whole days." Korin explained. "And I know what you're here for," he said, pointing his staff in the direction of a pedestal with a bowl of water on it. "The Ultra Divine Water, am I correct?"

Goku looked with wide eyes, "So it isn't a myth?" he asked, receiving a shake of the head from Korin. "Well, if you don't mind-," he said, walking towards the water before getting struck in the face by Korin's staff, sending him back so far that he fell off the tower.

"It isn't that easy!" he yelled from the edge of the tower Goku had fallen off of.

With an angry expression, Goku halted his fall and flew back upwards, a light blue aura surrounding him. He touched down back on the surface of the tower, and right as his feet touched the ground he headed straight for the water at great speeds. Korin phased right in front of him and swung his staff at the boy once again. This time, Goku was ready, spinning around 360°, wrapping his tail around the staff and swinging Korin behind him.

Seeing an open opportunity, he leaped for the divine water, looking quickly behind him to see Korin…

'_Not there?_' he thought as he looked back forwards but instead of the pedestal with water on top, Korin stood, a staff swinging directly for Goku's head. Instinctively, he ducked to avoid getting hit and went to maneuver around the cat, but his movements were easily followed with speed unmatched leading him to get kicked square in the gut, causing him to skid across the floor several feet away.

"You know kid, you're actually really good," Korin began. "Your Master, Roshi, took 3 years to climb the tower _and_ obtain the water from me. But, here you are, having climbed the tower in less than a full day and you've pushed me to my limit," Korin mused.

Goku looked at Korin with a serious expression, wondering if he was being patronized or lectured. It didn't matter who or when the water was obtained, all that he knew was that he would be the next to do so. He set himself into the Turtle Hermit stance; now it was time to get serious.

"There is one major skill you lack, however; the ability to think less while doing more." Upon seeing the confused look on Goku's face, Korin elaborated. "You are taking too much time to think before performing any actions, and your body language is easily readable as are your movements," seeing the same expression, the cat continued. "You see, most experienced martial artists have practiced and come close to mastering the art of moving instinctively. One thing all masters will tell you is that through years of attained experience, their bodies begin to move on their own, which facilitates movement in combat." Stopping briefly to see if the boy understood, Korin continued.

_Move without thinking, huh?_ Goku thought, as he stood up straight, closing his eyes in an attempt to focus. Inhaling deeply, Goku allowed his muscles to relax, and as he exhaled, he allowed his mind to clear up. Crouching once again into his battle stance, Goku could feel his body being far less tense and his target to be seen more clearly, sensory-wise and visually.

"You must allow your actions to be indistinct, as to prevent your opponent from getting the edge over you. Once you have mastered that, you will surely be an unbeatable adversary."

"Got it!" Goku said with vigor, ready to spring back into action.

Korin sweatdropped. '_I wonder how long I'll be able to hold him off…_'

Chi-Chi was in the lotus position, mimicking that of her temporary master next to her, attempting to do her best in reaching the depths of her ki reserves. She had a glowing red aura around her flaring wildly and a focused expression on her face.

"Good, just continue doing that. Your power is steadily increasing, I can just feel it." _This girl sure is a quick learner_. _To master ki control in one day and have already doubled her power, she is quite incredible_. "Alright, stand up, we're going to spar," Bora said, getting up, as did Chi-Chi. "But there's a catch; you'll be fighting me with your eyes closed," Bora said waving a finger at her.

"But, how's that going to be possible? I can't see you!" she exclaimed, stating the obvious.

Bora chuckled. "In this world, you are going to learn that you mustn't simply rely on your five primary senses, but others as well. You've already mastered ki control, so all you must do now is feel ki signatures and read them. If you're impaired in the eyes, you can easily use your other senses such as hearing and touch, which are sure to make this easier for you." he explained.

"Read ki signatures, huh?" Chi-Chi inquired, closing her eyes. As she did, in her mind, all she saw was darkness, the only light being her red aura. She then focused harder and found that several other lights were appearing around her. _That must be the nature around us_, she thought, recognizing the glowing white figures of trees and flowers. She then noticed that right in front of her, where her master had been, his form had taken the color yellow, and his ki had shone quite brightly.

'_I think she's got it_.' Bora thought. '_Time to begin_.' Bora leaped at Chi-Chi, drawing back his fist to aim for her face. Right as he was about to make contact, however, Chi-Chi screamed, ducked down and covered her head, causing him to garner a confused expression and trip over the terrified girl, face-first into the ground.

"Uh, sorry, sensei. Force of habit." she apologized, scratching the back of her head. "I really don't have all that much combat experience, so I just acted on impulse."

Bora got up, dusting himself off. "It's fine, we'll just have to work on that. Not everyone is a born fighter like Son-Kun and others." He then settled in a stance, telling her to redo her actions from before. _This day may be longer than Korin's Tower is tall_, he thought.

Korin was panting heavily, leaning on his staff for support. He and Goku had been going at it for ten hours and he was looking worse for wear. To add onto this, the sun had begun to set, the orange sky providing a beautiful backdrop for the boy in the blue gi as he stood tall, still in a well-kept stance.

Goku, however, looked perfectly fine. Apart from the beastly growling in his stomach that had been irritating him for some time now, he wasn't sweating too much, nor was he tired at all. He could go for a whole 24 more hours if he really wanted to. Strategically, he saw how good of a position he was in. All he had to do was stall out Korin's stamina and he'd be straight.

Taking a good look at the cat, however, he knew that taking a break was the right thing to do. Taking advantage of a tired and stressed opponent did not suit his pride well. Sitting down, he assumed a meditative position and took off his sack. He then folded his arms over his chest, looking Korin directly in the eyes. Korin looked back at him confused as to why he was relenting his assault.

"Let's take a break," the boy said. "I'm starving, and you're tired. I wouldn't want to go against a tired opponent," he said smiling.

"I can't tell if you're mocking or helping me by saying that," Korin chuckled.

"I mean, I have to beat you at your best for it to count, right?" Goku said snickering. Korin smiled. Just as he thought, the kid was noble and had a sense of humor.

It was now dark and Goku had long ago allowed sleep to conquer his appetite, but he awoke to his growling stomach.

Groaning, he stood up and made his way to the stand that held the Ultra Divine Water. He gazed at it with a thoughtful expression. A few seconds passed before he made his way back to his sleeping spot and allowed himself to fall asleep once again.

With one eye open, Korin had watched the scene that played out with delight. '_You really are a good kid_…' he thought, smiling. '_Maybe tomorrow's the day…_'

Goku stretched his muscles preparing for another attempt at obtaining the Ultra Divine Water. He had been holding back before as to not hurt Korrin too much, but now he was going to get it for sure.

"Going for another attempt, eh?" the elderly cat asked Goku.

"Fuck the talking, let's just get to my drink!" Goku stated, punching the air for emphasis, causing a pressurized blast of wind to Korin back a bit. _He's serious today_...

"Alright, then. Let's begin." With that, Goku phased out of sight and appeared right behind Korin, striking his neck with a chop that knocked him out instantly.

"Forgive me, but that was the only other way to get past you," he said as he walked towards the bowl of water that sat on the pedestal. Picking it up, he drank it thirstily, sighing with a refreshed look.

Not feeling any difference after drinking it, he wondered if he had gotten any stronger. "I don't _feel _different," Goku said, scanning over his body for any alterations.

"That's because," Korin began, standing up, "it's regular water," he said, standing up completely, smiling.

"Huh?!" Goku said, a shocked look on his face. "But what about the strength that I was supposed to gain from drinking it?" he exclaimed, slowly becoming angrier.

"The strength did not come in the form of the water, but all the events that led up to it. You not only grew stronger physically by climbing the tower and making all those attempts to match my speed but mentally you learned that there are some points where holding back only serves to be a hindrance to you and those around you," he explained.

Goku looked confused at first, but his expression altered as he came to a better understanding of what all this really meant. Accepting it as a fruitful endeavor, he thanked Korin for the experience and made for a leap off of the tower.

"Wait, Goku," he said, halting the boy. "What is it?" he asked

"In place of the water, I'll give you an even better gift," he began, reaching into a rather large pot. When he pulled his paw out, he held a handful of Senzu Beans in it, 10 or 11, if Goku counted correctly. "I'd like you to have these. You already know what they're used for, so I suggest you use them rationally," he said, putting them in a sachet and tying it up for him.

Goku gladly accepted the parting gift. "Thank you, Master Korin, I'll be sure to use these wisely and take your training to heart!" he said, bowing with respect. Korin tilted his head in acknowledgment and watched as the boy leaped off the tower and made his descent.

_You're going to do great things for this world. I'm sure of it, Goku._

Goku was surrounded by a bluish-white aura, soaring down to the ground at immense speeds, feeling far faster than when he had first climbed the tower. Within seconds, he had reached the base of the tower, touching down as his aura quickly dissipated.

As he stood amongst the various huts, he looked for a certain black haired girl. Seeing no one within eyesight, he began to turn around before being met with a small fist which he quickly blocked with one finger. Grinning, he looked at his crush. "Did you miss me?" he asked.

Chi-Chi grinned back widely at the boy. "Did I?!" she exclaimed, bringing him into a hug that he returned with a chuckle.

"How was your training," he asked as they ended their hug. She pouted at him and gave him a feigned angry look.

"It was going great, but clearly yours was better since I couldn't hit you." Goku laughed at her expression and scratched the back of his head.

"I don't think it was better I just think _I'm_ better," he said, smirking at her.

"Jerk," she said under her breath, causing the boy to snicker. "Where's your master, by the way?" he asked, looking for the tanned tower of a man.

"Right behind you," Bora said, smiling at the boy. Looking him up and down, he grinned knowingly with his hands on his hips. "So you actually reached the top of the tower?" he stated rather than asked. Goku smiled at him, "Yup," he said.

Suddenly, their conversation was cut short as the three fighters took on serious looks and raised a hand behind them, each catching a bullet that was meant to strike the back of their heads. They each crushed their catches and allow the ground particles to fall from their open hands.

"Who goes there?" Bora asked cautiously yet angrily. How _dare_ someone attempt to invade his home twice in the same week.

Gulping nervously, one of the perpetrators stepped out from behind the tree he was hiding. He released the firearm from his grip, allowing the rifle to land on the ground as he put his hands up in surrender. He wore a camouflage soldier's outfit with black gloves and boots, a red armband around his forearm with two white letter "R"'s on it.

"_Fool!_" someone whispered quite loudly near the man.

"Come out, all three of you," Bora said. As he did so, two men who looked identical to the vulnerable one jumped out of the bushes with assault rifles pointed and ready to fire at them.

Goku held up two fingers which began glowing yellow, intricately pointing them at the guns and firing off miniature ki blasts, destroying them into bits within an instant. "Now you're unarmed," he said with a scowl. The soldiers now all stepped forward, their arms held up as they trembled with fear. "Now, _EXPLAIN _yourselves_! WHO _are you?!" Bora shouted, pointing a newly made spear at one of the soldier's necks. He looked at the insignia they all had on their left arms. "You're with _him_ aren't you?" Bora asked, pointing his head in the direction of the man who had tried to attack his family before the corpse. The soldiers' eyes followed where he was pointing and they saw the pink gi-wearing man.

"You killed Tao?! How?!" One of the soldiers exclaimed, his face losing color. The others mimicked his actions and paled as well.

"Like this," Goku stated, his fist glowing its infamous light blue hue as he punched the first soldier in the gut, causing his fist to tear through the man's body. Goku pulled his bloodied fist from out of the man's gut and allowed the body to fall to the ground.

"Now…" Goku began, "you're going to tell us who you are and what you're here for." He glared at the men with a cold gaze, causing them to tremble in their boots; literally. Chi-Chi looked at her crush with the same expression she had when he killed Tao. '_His mood changes completely when it involves a clear enemy,_' she thought. Hopefully, this was only a habit that displayed against the foe and not friends. '_Don't worry Chi, I'm in complete control._' Goku's voice invaded Chi-Chi's mind as she looked at his back with a stunned expression. He turned his head to give her a calming look. She melted at the sight of his signature Son Goku grin. Steeling herself, she put herself in a guarded stance.

"We shall only knock you unconscious if you comply with our requests. If you fail to oblige, my friend here shall do much more than I can control," he said, implying the evisceration that would undergo should they decline.

Gulping, one of the soldiers began quickly explaining who they were and where they came from. He explained that they were affiliated with a militia called the Red Ribbon Army and that they were sent to retrieve the Dragon Balls by their general, who was instructed by head Commander Red. When asked what the wish was, they were unable to respond because said information was disclosed to only the boss.

As they were given the location of the base, Goku swiftly knocked the two men out with a chop to their necks, as he sought to tear down the army single-handedly. The fear they could cause would bring about more terror to other innocent villages should he allow them to continue their reign of tyranny.

"Do what you want with them Bora, I'm going to take them down once and for all," Goku said determinedly. Bora nodded to him and slung the bodies over his shoulder, giving the boy a thumbs up as he walked away.

"I thank you for your help, Son-Kun. You have done much for this village. You and Chi-Chi are welcome to visit anytime. Speaking of," he began, dropping the bodies to the ground for a moment as he walked towards Chi-Chi. "Your training was very fruitful, and for the both of us," he began. He ran to his hut and exited quickly with a cheongsam dress in his hands. "I had my wife knit this for you, as a sign of your training under me," he said, holding it out for Chi-Chi to grab.

It was a beautiful black, red-trimmed dress, similar to the one she wore. The difference was that this had very intricate triangular designs at the base and a wide circle on the back that had the kanji for her name.

Chi-Chi grinned, hugging and thanking the man for his gift, folding it neatly for Goku to put in his bag. Chi-Chi then gained a thoughtful expression and unstrapped her ax from her back. Walking forwards, she handed the golden weapon to Upa, saying, "Take this. Then you'll be able to defend yourself if someone like the Red Ribbon comes by again!"

Upa gladly accepted the weapon and thanked the girl, straining to weave the weapon. Chi-Chi smiled at the boy before turning to her crush.

Her demeanor immediately changed upon seeing the serious expression on Goku's face. It unnerved her. Chi-Chi stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm coming with you!" she exclaimed with a hard gaze. Goku was about to make an attempt to decline, as he wouldn't want to risk putting her in danger, but the look she gave showed that she was going to remain tenacious about this.

"Fine," he said, a sigh escaping his lips. "But don't put yourself in danger and stay within my sight," he said seriously. Chi-Chi grinned saying "I know," as she motioned for him to begin flying.

"You're not getting on?" he asked, pointing to his back.

Chi-Chi responded by jumping several feet in the air and floating.

Grinning, Goku said, "Well, that settles it."

The two said their goodbyes, the villagers all going outside to thank them and wish them luck. The two surrounded themselves in their respective auras and blasted off in the direction of the Red Ribbon Army base.

Power Level Listings:

Goku: 201 (Post-Training + Minor Zenkai)

Chi-Chi: 65

Korin: 190

Bora: 55

Soldier(s):


	3. Chapter 3

Goku's hair flowed about wildly as he sped through the skies, Chi-Chi trailing not too far behind him. The two were currently surrounded by their pure white auras as they flew speedily towards Muscle Tower, which they sought to take down, potentially liberating any innocent people who were held captive. The two were flying in complete silence. The severity of their self-made mission rid any reason for meaningless prattle—that along with the fact Chi-Chi wished not to rile up Goku, as he was being quite temperamental.

The brash girl, however, was bold enough to speak up this time around.

"Goku?" She said, just loud enough for the boy to hear her.

Unmoving and not showing any signs of hearing his name called, Goku simply said, "Yeah?"

"...Um," Chi-Chi began, attempting to collect her thoughts, "Are you alright? You haven't been yourself since after you killed that Tao guy." Goku remained silent upon hearing the accusation. It wasn't untrue, he had been acting far more impulsive and hadn't pulled back any punches. He'd been feeling this way for quite a while, as if someone or something insider of him was mentally picking him apart, slowly deteriorating his rationality and morality.

Closing his eyes and sighing, Goku searched for his mind a response. Not holding Chi-Chi any longer, he responded, reopening his eyes.

"Really, I don't know," Goku responded honestly. "Ever since I started searching for the Four-Star Ball I've been feeling and acting so much... on instinct, I guess you could say. It feels like a natural incline for battle or just using strength I've had to hold back for so long—as if to appease my pride."

Chi-Chi's eyes gradually widened as she heard her crush speak. The innocence and naivety still coated his voice, but rather than being boisterous and brash, he spoke in a calm and wise tone, as though he was well beyond his years.

She smiled a bit. "So you aren't gone, you're just..."

"Lost," she allowed him to finish, as he looked back to offer her a confused smile.

Returning a reassuring smile, Chi-Chi beamed at him. "Well I'll help you find yourself, and whatever else you're looking for!" A tinge of pink was visible on her cheeks, which caused Goku to nervously scratch his cheek.

"Gee, thanks Chi-Chi! I'm glad I have someone like you!" He said with a wide grin.

This caused Chi-Chi to fully turn pink as she shook her head to get rid of her blush.

"I-it's nothing really. What are friends for?" She responded shyly. If only you knew I want to be more than friends.

Both preteens had thoughts similar to these simultaneously going through their minds.

The two were broken out of their thoughts, however, by the ear-splitting screams of terror from below.

"Were those screams?" Chi-Chi asked aloud, as she looked around for where the screams had come from, her eyes squinting as she peered below to the snowy landscape. She was currently taking a coat from out of her sack, an action Goku mimicked as the temperature dropped dramatically.

"It sounded like it was coming from that snow house, over there," Goku said, pointing towards an igloo as he sped his flight up.

"That's an igloo, Goku," Chi-Chi said, slightly sweat dropping.

Goku didn't seem to hear her as he had already begun his descent towards the snowy home, his white ki flaring brightly as his face took on a serious expression.

"Wait, Goku, slow down!" Chi-Chi cried out, her call falling on deaf ears, as she herself began to descend quickly.

Goku's aura faded as he touched down on the snowy ground and in front of the broken wooden door of the igloo he had heard the screaming echoing from. As Chi-Chi touched down right behind him, he spent no time breaking down the rest of the door and letting his presence be known, but he froze upon the sight laid in front of him.

The scent of death lingered in the air and the sight of a massacre disgraced the boy's eyes. The dead bodies of a man and a woman were on the ground, impaled and bloody, pools of the vile red liquid spreading across the ground like a colony of fire ants. As if this didn't anger Goku enough, his eyes laid on a red-head girl, around his height, looked to be around his age, with a heavy, white sweater, that was now stained with the blood of who he assumed to be her parents, whom she was lying on top of, sobbing her eyes out.

Chi-Chi took immediate action, leaping forward to console the distraught and terrified girl. As she wrapped her arms around her, she felt the girl stiffen up and attempt to scream, with little to no progress in doing so.

"It's okay," Chi-Chi began in a soft voice, "My name's Chi-Chi, and my friend is Goku. We're not here to hurt you, we're going to free your people from this pain and sorrow." The girl's sobs didn't wane, but they became far quieter and she was shaking less.

Contrary to this, Goku was shaking crazily, anger building up inside of him. His fists were clenching and unclenching, and his teeth were grinding against each other as he suppressed the urge to let out a primal scream and blow up everything around him.

"They're going to pay for this…" Goku growled lowly, as he began scanning the area for any malicious ki signatures. What he wasn't expecting was for the ki to encompass the whole area, a whole cluster of negative energy in large masses around him. What pissed him off, even more, was that they were the _only_ ki he was sensing, which meant it was possible all the villagers had been slaughtered, and the girl Chi-Chi was protecting was the sole survivor who had potentially witnessed all of their deaths.

Chi-Chi watched Goku with a wary gaze. She began to stand up, still holding the girl in her arms. "Goku, don't do anything too rash," she said, "I'll be right behind you," she said reassuringly.

Goku turned around and she audibly heard him exhale deeply, as his shoulders went down and his body eased up.

"Let's just end this," Goku began darkly. Turning to face the red-head, he tried his best to smile, which came out as a scowl. "Don't worry, we'll bring back everyone from your village with the Dragon Balls. Soon you'll be back and happy with your family and friends." With that, Goku flew outside, Chi-Chi letting go of the girl and running to catch up with her crush.

"Suno!... is my name," the red-head said, Chi-Chi stopping in her tracks. She smiled at her, saying, "If Goku comes off as scary, he really isn't—he's just really headstrong when it comes to helping those in need. Now, keep yourself hidden! Things are sure to get ugly…" Suno watched the pink helmet wearing princess dash out of the house and leap into the air, vanishing from sight.

Goku was hovering in the air, his bluish-white aura a growing fire, as it reached astronomical heights. Right as he had finished charging his ki, Chi-Chi hovered directly behind him, doing the same, a crimson red aura surrounding her. He cupped his hands at his sides, a blue light forming in between them, shining brightly as he chanted, "Ka...Me…" the light took the form of a ball as he widened his hands' distance, allowing the ki to swell up.

"Ha...Me…" he continued, the orb making warbling sounds as his power steadily began growing.

"_**HAAA!**_" He shouted, allowing a large, blue beam to escape his hands, aiming it at the base of the giant, red tower; unmistakably Muscle Tower.

A colossal explosion of blue light ensued, engulfing half the tower, causing debris to fly about wildly, causing Chi-Chi to cover her face with her arms to prevent debris from hitting her face..

Amongst the screams of terror, Goku watching as the tower's remains slowly began to fall over, seeing out of the corner of his eye a weak old man falling at great speeds towards a newly formed pile of rubble.

Without a second thought, he flew towards the man at immense speeds, grabbing him by the collar before he was able to touch the ground.

The old man, who had been covering his head with his arms in fear of the impending collision, realized he was suspending in air and being held by the collar of his shirt.

Slowly looking up, his fear quelled as he saw the smiling face of a spiky-haired boy, who with the calmest tone he could muster asked if he was alright. The old man could merely muster a nod and was gently placed on the snowy ground below. He didn't feel like questioning why he could fly or how he had a tail, all that mattered was he was saved, as was his village.

"Wh-Who are you?" the old man asked as he saw the boy turning to leave. "I would love to know the name of my savior―_my village's _savior," he said meekly, regaining his voice. The boy grinning, turning his head to him.

"The battle isn't over yet, but… It's Goku," he began, before running towards the pile of rubble, "_Son_ Goku!" he finished.

Chi-Chi had long since regained her composure after seeing Goku completely desecrate Muscle Tower with very little difficulty. Muttering to herself, she said, "He was even trying," she swiftly dodged a blow to the head a soldier attempted to make with his firearm, retaliating with a knee to the gut, which knocked the wind out of the man, causing him to stumble over, unconscious.

She slowly tilted her head downwards, looking at her hands. "Am… am I too weak for him?" she asked herself, clenching her fists. "Goku humbly and emotionlessly is able to use his strength, not wanting his enemies to suffer, even if it goes against his morals, all for the sake of…" she hardened the look on her face, going from one of sadness and misunderstanding to unbridled resolve.

_I'll become stronger. Not just for me, but for him, my Papa, and everyone I want to protect. _She mentally declared to herself before ducking a barrage of assault rifle bullets, removing her helmet and throwing it behind her, the blade quickly and cleanly cutting through the rifle and splitting the man in half, his lifeless body slumping to the ground before the helmet returned to Chi-Chi like a boomerang.

Through the rubble Goku was digging through, he saw many things―burnt and ripped clothes, severed and charred limbs and various other things that made him sick to his stomach.

_These people were heartless, power-obsessed cowards, willing to slaughter those weaker than themselves for the sake of strength…_ Goku thought gritting his teeth.

He approached a far larger pile, which seemed to move. Goku watched it with a wary eye, seeing as the figure of a man

He was of a rather large build, stocky and reminiscent of a monster in a story Grandpa had read to him long ago, with short, black hair, thick brows with no eyebrows, and a large forehead with a line of stitches scars going across it along with his left cheek. He wore a navy blue suit and pants with a pale blue sweater underneath, white socks and black loafers. He provided a rather intimidating presence but Goku didn't―or rather, couldn't sense and maliciousness from him.

Scratch that, he couldn't even sense a life presence from him. It was as though he wasn't human, bar his looks.

"Did you do this?" he spoke, standing at his full height, looking down at the boy, as he gestured to the fallen tower.

Not hesitating to answer, Goku spoke back, "What's it to you?"

He heard a 'Hmph' before the man responded. "Such manslaughter and unnecessary and irreparable damage were not needed…" Goku winced upon hearing the accusation of the action he already regretted. Looking down, he was unable to face the stranger, clenching his fists with a disappointed look. He was about to speak, but the man wasn't done.

"However…" Goku looked up, wondering what the man wanted to say, "I must thank you." Raising a questioning eyebrow, the man answered the unspoken question. "I am not human, as you should have been able to tell. Rather, I am an android, a cyborg if you will, a creation made by the head scientists of this army to aid General Red in his quest to attain the Dragon Balls." Goku listened intently, wondering where he was going. He tensed up at the thought that this was potentially an enemy, but decided to listen to what the "android" had to say.

"I was made to be a war machine, one simply for combat and combat alone―even more so, a _killing _machine," he stressed the word "killing" with a scowl. "However, due to some faulty programming, or quite possibly my own will, I am far more benevolent than the scientists intending for me to be, not wanting to kill at all, but rather to cherish the beautiful life on this planet and protect it. Due to this, I was labeled as a defected creation, and thus caged up, locked in a cell with a built-in failsafe if I were to turn on the army―a bomb planted within me that with the press of a button, would cause me to explode immediately."

Goku's face contorted between a myriad of emotions upon hearing the explanation he was given. Not only was this… creature, for lack of better term, kind, but he was so kind that he did not turn his back on the creators that cared none for his wishes, caged him up, although he may have been able to escape with ease, but had been placed with the burden of living in eternal fear of being destroyed and robbed of the life he was given at the thought of betrayal to the disgusting pigs who made him. It caused Goku to shake with rage, as he continued to listen to the android.

"In an effort to do what I could to prevent any meaningless killing, I was able to procure one of the Dragon Balls they sought to collect from the villagers, hiding it to the best of my ability. But my plan backfired, as they still continued to pillage the innocent humans and take their lives for something they have never heard of, not sparing them whether they got the answers they wanted or not." Sighing, the android raised a hand that was held in slightly broken shackles, which held a Dragon Ball with two red stars on it.

"Th-the Two-Star Ball!" Goku exclaimed, not believing that the android was so easily able to secure the artifact. The android chuckled at the boy's incoherent babbling and extended his arm to hand the boy the ball. His look hardened upon doing so, as he clutched the ball tightly.

"Now, I won't deny my gratefulness that you have helped the villagers, but in doing so, you have caused dozens of deaths. The fact that they were of the Red Ribbon soldiers is none of my concerns, I understand that you may harbor an innate hatred towards them…" he paused for emphasis, watching as the boy's face turned serious, and smiled.

"But I trust that you will use these balls for good, and with the innocent people who lost their lives back," he said with a tone that was calm yet demanding. Goku did not need to be told much else before he clenched his fist in determination, hitting his chest in an attempt to salute.

"I, Son Goku, promise to avenge the people of this village and return them to life! No more innocent lives will be taken as long as I'm alive!" he said with as much seriousness he could muster. The android closed his eyes and nodded, allowing Goku to take the ball from his hand, scan it, and put it in his sack.

"Thanks, Mr. Android―," he was cut off by said android saying "8. Android 8, was the number I was given, as I am the eighth android created."

Goku assumed a thoughtful position, "That seems too long to say, so how about I give you a nickname…" he pondered. The android stared at him in confusion.

"Nick… name?" Goku snapped as soon as the question was asked.

"Eighter! It sounds cool, doesn't it? And it's easy to say!" he smiled genuinely at the now proclaimed "Eighter". The shift from serious to childlike within in an instant threw Eighter off quite a bit, nonetheless, he smiled in return and gave a nod, as the android said, "I suppose it does. Thank you, Son Goku. You will become the hero this world has needed for so long, I am sure of it," he said reassuringly.

Goku flashed him a grin and a thumbs up. He was about to regroup with Chi-Chi but a call of his name brought his attention.

"Erm, Son Goku, was it?" the elderly voice came. Goku turned to see that it was the man he had rescued from falling―the leader of Jingle Village.

"Yeah, Jii-San? What's up?" he asked, wondering what the man wanted from him.

Sweatdropping at the rather… off-putting name, the man shook his head with feigned exasperation.

Getting a better look at him, Goku saw that the man had fluffy gray hair, stuffed under a brown top hat. He wore a lavender dress shirt with thin black stripes going down vertically across it. To complete his fit, he wore black overalls tucked into the same colored snow boots.

"Well, I'm the mayor of this village, the village chief if you would, and I'd like to thank you for liberating my people from the burden that is the Red Ribbon Army―" he started before he was cut off by the sound of a gunshot ringing out. A bullet pierced the man's forehead and through his skull, killing him instantly.

Goku, Chi-Chi, and even Eighter slowly turned to where the shot came from to see a rather large man with a muscular build in a black tank top and khaki dress pants. He had graying hair and a face that showed years of battling experience, his shoulders slumping over as he lowered the firearm and began panting heavily.

"Shit," the man said between breaths. He had wished to hit the boy but his aim had been rather off due to the immense pain he was currently going through.

General White was shocked, to say the least when he had heard the alarm of an attack having devastated Muscle Tower. The fortress should have been resilient to even the most powerful of artillery, not having much as a crack should even a bazooka attempt to blast down the base.

What he had not been able to fathom was that through the panic of evacuating soldiers, he had caught a glimpse of the surveillance monitors, seeing the form of a spiky-haired boy that fit the description of the late Mercenary Tao's killer.

Snarling, he gripped the gun on his waist and began to follow the other soldiers in an attempt to retreat―that was until the entire building collapsed upon him.

White watched as the form of the orange-clad boy turned towards him. The boy's cold, dark eyes were like an abyss―a black void of sorts, like a pit of endless fury, seemed to rise from them. He could have sworn he saw the pupils of the boy turn yellow, with small black irises in the center, but it may have been a delusion caused by his lack of balance.

Goku was seething as he looked at the village chief's killer. Several scenarios of how he was going to torture the man in front of him playing in his head.

For a split second, he knew his vision went hazy as he began to see red before it flashed back to normal. His fists were clenched, and even with the mittens he had on, he swore that his nails had dug through the fabric, causing tears to form and trickles of blood to seep through.

He began to feel as though he were falling, unaware that his ki was flaring so hotly that his aura was melting through the snow, the pressure around him seeming to intensify.

As the look was focused on White, he felt the full brunt of the killing intent leaking towards him, but this did not mean Chi-Chi was faring any better―or so Goku had thought.

In a burst of speed, the girl had flown past Goku, causing his hair to fly about wildly and his eyes to slowly widen, his rage-filled aura slowly fading away.

The girl had leaped forward and in a fascinating display of strength punched the man in the muscle shirt square in the face, breaking his jaw with the impact of her fist, the sound of a sickening crack filling the area before the man blasted away hundreds of feet before hitting his head into a tree, halting his momentum and causing a massive thud to ring about before his seemingly lifeless body fell to the cold ground.

Chi-Chi, suspending in air, was panting heavily, her breaths quavering and uneasy. She began to slowly fall to the ground as she floated down to her hands and knees in a hunched over position.

Upon hearing her erratic breathing, Goku had an idea of what happened. Walking over to his now sobbing friend, he knelt beside her and placed a calming hand on her shoulder, feeling as her body got stiff. What he had not expected, however, was for the girl to quickly turn around and latch onto him, burying her face into his chest and latching her arms around his neck.

Being unused to this sort of confrontation, Goku knew not what to do other than rub circles on the girl's back. He knew how it felt to be unable to protect someone, the hurt one felt at knowing how powerless you were, even if it were an unfeasible feat to do what you blame yourself for occurring.

"It's fine Chi-Chi," he said, lowering his head near Chi-Chi's ear to whisper the reassuring words. "We'll wish back all the victims of the army with the Dragon Balls," he said, attempting to keep his voice level while at the same time the volume being above her sobs.

Her sobs lessened slightly, and her shaking was not as extreme as it had been.

Eighter looked on with an impassive expression. He knew nothing of human emotions, all he knew was what he had seen around him―hate, anger, envy, and sadness. While he was familiar with the latter, this was something he found incomprehensible for humans to cope with. Being an android, he had no one to protect other than those who ordered him to―even then, he did not like to do so, through violent means, at least. So he continued to watch the two teens as they held each other. It was a heartbreaking and heartwarming sight at the same time.

Chi-Chi had begun to look up, peering at Goku with a tear-stained face. It did him poorly to see his friend with such a pain-filled expression. Her once vibrant eyes shone with the wetness of tears, glazed over with a sense of self-loathing, one that showed blame and guilt. Blame for being unable to act sooner, and guilt for resorting to such immediate and brutal tactics.

Goku continued to stare back at the girl, straining to keep a straight face.

His friend, his _crush_, had such a beautiful face. Her soft-looking, full pink lips, her glistening, smooth skin, her cute button nose, and the beautiful locks of swaying black hair, although now it was rather messy and filled with small flakes of snow in several of the strands.

His hand impulsively moved the strands of hair that blocked some of her faces out of the way before he felt an inclination to lean forward. Seeing what the boy was about to do, the girl began to lift her head, coming closer and closer to the boy. They closed their eyes and their faces continued to close in on each other until…

Their lips touched.

The two, not having as much of an idea as to what they were doing attempted to fix the position of their faces to move their lips into a more comfortable position.

Their lips continued to press against each other, the two enjoying the taste of each other's lips. Chi-Chi moaned lightly at Goku's slightly rough, yet soft approach, and Goku lowly growling as a smile parted his lips, eliciting the two to part as well. It lasted no longer than 30 seconds, but it felt like hours.

The two gazed into each other's eyes, new feelings swelling within them as they simply sat still.

Goku was the first to shake himself from his shock, holding Chi-Chi up as he began to stand.

Surprisingly, neither was blushing, but the two continued to gaze into each other's eyes, similar thoughts going through their heads.

_Did she/he always look this pretty/handsome?_

Ignoring those thoughts, the two began to find the words they wanted to say.

Goku was stammering, scratching the back of his head nervously as he attempted to find the right words. Surprisingly it was Chi-Chi who spoke first.

"Um… let's keep looking for the Dragon Balls," she stated meekly before trailing off, now unable to look her crush in the eyes. Reshifting his focus, Goku steeled himself.

"Right!" he said, nodding to Chi-Chi, pushing the thoughts of a minute ago to the side for the time being. Goku gave Eighter a curt nod, promising he would return once he had completed and fulfilled his promise before he and Chi-Chi encased their bodies in pure blue and white auras, taking to the skies with their destination being the Red Ribbon Army HQ.

The red-haired Suno hurriedly stepped out of her igloo to wish her saviors good luck and farewell. After doing so, a Frankenstein-like creature to her knowledge began to stalk towards her. Having seen Goku hold a conversation with the tower of a man, she deemed him to be friendly and walked towards him as well.

She stopped in front of the android, her head not reaching past his kneecaps, his shadow looming over her. He offered her a creepy-looking, albeit kindhearted smile to her and she returned the gesture, grabbing his massive hand and offering him to join her inside her home, which she doubted he would fit in.

Questions? Concerns? Comments? Something I'd like y'all to start doing is leaving reviews and comments from now on. I really like constructive criticism, whether it be about grammar errors, poor writing, out of character shit, etc. I'd like to actually converse with and discuss points regarding my story and ideas y'all would be willing to talk about. Without further ado, the power level listings;

Goku - 201, Rage Boost 300 +

Chi-Chi - 65

Village Chief - 3

Eighter - ?

General White - 7

Suno - 2


End file.
